Cave of Forgotten Dreams will send some to sleep

Friday 25 March 2011 10:33 BST

Off the wall: Herzog and crew documenting French cave

Werner Herzog's latest documentary is scintillating. Sort of.

In 1994, a group of cave paintings were discovered in the South of France. They turn out to be the world's earliest dated artworks and, last year, Herzog, along with a tiny crew, was given access to film them. The paintings, mostly of animals (pretty horses, battling rhinos, a pride of thoughtful-looking lions), are striking.

The Bavarian auteur also talks to a number of sweet scientists - the kind of people who used to present Open University programmes on BBC2. Taken together, they represent a lost race of non-photogenic, non-sound-bitey experts. A rare treat, indeed.

Herzog's decision to use 3D cameras seems wise, rather than gimmicky. His caves are ravishingly curvaceous; the animals appear ready to trample us underfoot. Still, the film feels overlong, padded out to justify that "feature film" tag.

The longueurs, plus the melancholy cello music on the soundtrack (not to mention the director's somewhat relentless, weird-lullaby croon), may send some viewers to sleep. Don't feel bad if you succumb, just be sure to have a good dream.